Hair drier



June 14, 1949.

M. A WOODRUM HAIR DRIER Filed Feb. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

MVP TLE A. WOODRUM AT TORNEVS June 14, 1949. A, WO DRUM 2,472,873

HAIR DRIER Filed Feb. 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvrox MVR TLE A. WOODRUM 8&6 WW

Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT ormcc Application February 8, 1945., Serial .No. 576,011

"5 Claims. 11

This invention relates to hair adriers.

More particularly the invention relates to a drier which may be applied .to the head of the Person whose hair is to bedried and the invention is characterized .among .the other things, by the efficiency with which .the hair is dried, by the lack of discomfort .often experienced in beauty parlors in the hair drying operation, and by the simplicity of construction and operation of the drier and by the economy with which they may be manufactured.

In conventional driers used in beauty Iparlors the .drying heat .is non-uniformly applied :to the hair with resultant undue concentration of heat at .certain parts 01 the vscalp and wholly inadequate heat at .other parts of the .scalp. For .eX- ample, .certain of the conventional driers are inelficient in .drying the hair disposed about the scalp line or hanging below the scalp .line, while the hair .on top of the head is'subiected to unduly hightemperatures withdiscomfortrandsometimes injury to the scalp.

One object -of the invention is a drier -.of the above indicated character which maybe applied to the head of the individual and operated toeflficiently dry the hair-at all parts of the scalpand without discomfort -or injury to the scalp.

A iurther object of the inventionis a hair drier of the above indicated character embodying :a novel and improved air :heating and regulating mechanism ior supplying and .distributingdry aair to the hair.

A further object :of the invention is ;a :drier of the above indicated character comprising :a flexible cap which head and fastened :about the scalp line-fordistribut-ing and circulating the drying air through the mass of hair to be dried.

A further object of :theinvention is .a flexible cap of the above indicated character made of an elastic materialgsuch for :example, as rubber.

A further object of 't-he invention is a "hair drying 11111117 of the above indicated character comprisinga cap of flexible :material and an-air heating, distributing and supplying means attached to the cap of flexible material.

Further objects of the "invention 'will hereinafter appear.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, wherein Fig. 1 is a side View of invention;

a drier embodying the :may be readily applied to'the Fig. 2 is a sectional View along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is .a sectional Fig. 1,;

Fig. 4is.a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. .1;

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of theair heating .and supplying unit; and

Fig. .6 is a detail or thevswitch mechanism.

In .the embodiment .of .the invention illustrated in the drawings the drier comprises a skull cap I and an electrical air heating andsupplying device! whichisattachedtothe-cap .I. In thepreferred embodiment the cap ,I is composed .of .a flexible material which is sufiiciently imperforate to cause .the drying air to circulate adjacent the scalp and through the mass .of hair to be dried. The .cap -.oomprises an .air distributing manifold 3 preferably iormed of the same flexible mate rial as the main body partof the .cap .i and this distributing manifold B is adapted to ,be attached to or below the scalp line of the .head in substantially .air .sealingrelation therewith. Prefer ably the flexible material of the .cap .-I is of :oil skin .and its distributing manifold 3 of an elastic material :such as .natural rubber or a synthetic rubber-likematerial.so-that the manifold3 which forms the lower .edgeof the=capmay be stretched slightly about the head and the hair to slip the manifold .3 .over to the scalp line, .bound by the resilienoyofthe material sufliciently tight to hold the .cap .in position'and to prevent anyappreciabl-e escape of hot .air downwardly to the outside between .the skin and .the manifold .3. The cap \.I and its manifold .3 maybe formedinto an integral unit .and the walls of the manifold -3 are sumciently ri id .so as to avoid closure of the distributing .passage 41 formed in .the interior of the manifold. This manifold in :-the particular :embodiment :shown passes all {the \way around the sides, @front and hack of the cap I. The heated air is supplied tothe manifold 3 at the entrance 5 and from the manifold .3 :this :drying heated air is supplied to the scalpiline or Just above the scalp line through :the multiplicity :of perforations 1 stormed ,in the inside upper wall of the maniiold .3 and this airis-thuscaused ito circulate through the mass :of hairconfined hyfthe cap 4 .to an.o11tlet .8, as indicated hy .the .arrows in Figs. .1 and-2.

The air ,heater ,2 comprises a casing .410, :in the particular embodiment :shown .being of cylindr cal shape and this casing 1.0 .is formed .of heat insulating .and electrical insulating ,material, as .for example of some plastic, such as the moldable .view along the line 3 -3 of that either a casing 15 plastics. The cap I is formed in the rear with a flange or skirt ii conforming generally to the diameter of the casing l and this flange or skirt forms a means for attaching the cap to the casing it. The latter is provided with a groove 92 adjacent the lefthand end (Fig. and the flexible material of which the cap and the flange are made is forced into this groove l2 by a fastening wire or ring 63 which passes thereabout. By this means the cap I and the casing iii are firmly fastened together but in a detachable manner so or the cap i may be replaced by another if desired. For example, the cap i and the air heating and supplying unit 2 may be disconnected by having the ring 53 releasable and detachable.

The casing ID of the air heating and supplying unit is closed at its righthand end (Fig. 5) except for one or more openings i5 provided in the end wall thereof for the intake of air to be condi- A tioned before supplying to the cap i. In the particular embodiment shown there are two of such openings disposed on the opposite sides of. the axis of the casing 50 and radially displaced therefrom. The lefthand end of the casing i5 is provided with a closing disc wall it. The latter is provided with an opening [1 leading into the manifold 3 at 5 and the latter is fastened or otherwise sealed to the disc !6 in a manner to lead the incoming air from the opening l1 into the manifold. In the particular embodiment shown the disc I6 is shown provided with a sleeve 18 surrounding the opening I! and the manifold is provided with an opening the wall it of which engages the periphery of the sleeve It at a point adjacent the surface of the disc itQbeing held thereon by a bead [8 on the periphery of H5. The

disc i5 is also provided with an opening 2i which leads directly to the mass of hair in the rear, but through a screen 6 fastened to the disc !5. This screen may be of any suitable material, as for example of wire.

The air heating and supply unit 2 comprises a bellows pump element 23 which is attached at its lefthand end (Fig. 5) in any suitable manner to the inside of the disc It. On its righthand end this bellows element 23 is provided with a piston disc 24 fastened to a reciprocating shaft 25 which is mounted for reciprocation along the axis of the casing 19. This shaft 25 is provided with or forms the armature of a solenoid coil 25 which is fastened to the central portion of the disc 15. The solenoid 25 and its armature may be of any convenient construction and the details thereof are therefore omitted from the drawing for convenience in illustration, it being understood that when the solenoid 26 is energized the armature forming a part of the shaft 25 is drawn into the solenoid 26'to collapse the bellows element 23, with a corresponding forward movement of the disc 24. The electrical terminals for the solenoid 26 are shown diagrammatically at 2'! and 28. Thus the armature 25 and disc 24 are moved to the left (Fig. 5) by the energization of the solenoid 26 and upon de-energization of the solenoid the shaft '25 and the disc 24 are niovedrearwardly by a coil spring 29 of substantially the diameter of the bellows 23, which spring at one end engages the disc l6 and on the other end engages the disc 24. During the forward stroke of the disc piston 24 drying air is forced through the openings I1 and 2| formed in the disc I6 and thence into the manifold 3 for distribution about the scalp line of the head and into the hair. During the rearward stroke air is drawn in to the bellows 23 compartment to be heated. For this purpose the disc 24 is provided with one or more valve openings, as for example openings 30 and 3! radially displaced from the axis of the shaft 25. These openings 30 and 3| are provided with valves 32 and 33 respectively which open inwardly on the rearward or backward stroke of the piston disc 24. These valves 32 and 33 are illustrated diagrammatically as mounted on leaf springs 32' and. 33, respectively. These valves 32 and 33 are automatically closed during the forward movement of the piston disc 24. The valve openings H and 2| are also provided with automatically operated valves. The opening I1 is provided with a valve 35 which is mounted on one end of a spring 35 attached to the interior of the sleeve is. The opening 2| is provided with a valve 31 and this is mounted on one end of a leaf spring 38, the other end of the spring being fastened to the disc is at 52. These valves 35 and 31 are closed by their respective springs 35 and 38 during the backward or rearward stroke of the piston disc 24 and are opened during the forward stroke of this piston disc against the tension of the springs.

The solenoid 26 is intermittently energized and deenergized to reciprocate the piston disc 24. For this purpose the circuit of the solenoid 25 is intermittently open and closed at the contacts 28 and 28', the latter being carried by an arm 40 formed as part of a bracket 4| fastened in any suitable manner to the frame of the solenoid 26. The contacts 28 and 28 are closed by a switch member 42 which is reciprocated by the shaft 25. The

switch member 42 is carried by a reciprocating the latter being guided in the bracket rod 43, 4! and in aguide member 44 also carried by the frame of the solenoid. The reciprocating rod 43 is reciprocated by an arm 45 which is disposed at right angles in the particular embodiment shown with the rod 43. The end of arm 45 projects into the path of a tit or lug 20 on the shaft 25 so as to close insulatedly supported in any conventional man-' ner; The supply circuit for the terminals 21 and 28' is, indicated at 45 and the conventional plug is shown at 41 for connecting the unit to apower circuit. I

The air contained within the bellows 23 is elec-- trically heated'by a heating coil diagrammatically shown at 48. These coils are insulatedly carried by L members 49 fastened to the end of the solenoid 26. The heating coil 48 may be energized in any suitable manner, as for example by the conductors 50 leading to the terminals 2'! and 28'.

Both the temperature of the air and the volume of air may be adjusted and regulated by varying the tension of the springs 36 and 38 carrying the valves 35 and 31, for example by in creasing the tension of the springs 35 and 38 so as to require a larger air pressure to open the valves carried by these springs. The speed of the forward stroke of the piston disc 24 is reduced due to the resistance to movement to be overcome by the solenoid 26. On the contrary,

the circuit when the piston disc 24 reaches the end of its out stroke. The arrangeby decreasing the tension of the springs 36 and 38 the forward stroke of the disc piston 24 is spe'eded 11p with a correspondin shorter cycle of operations. The tension of the springs 36 and 38 may be varied in any suitable manner and in the particular embodiment shown I have shown one method of tension adjustment. This adjusting means comprises an adjustable bearing member engaging the spring 38 at points adjustable in distances from the point of fastening 52 to the .disc 13. In the particular embodiment of this adjustable bearing member 5| is carried on the :end of a screw bolt 53 passing through an openin formed in the flange or sleeve H of the cap I and passing through a screw-threaded opening in the casing it. Thus by screwing this bolt 53 inwardly the resistance of the spring 38 to the opening of the valve 37 is increased and by screwing the bolt 53 outwardly the resistance is decreased.

The disc 16 is of both heat and electrical insulating material, as for example of suitable plastic material so as to shield the wearer of the drier against the transmission of excessive heat from the bellows heating chamber and against any possibility of coming in contact with the electrical circuits. The bellows 23 is preferably of some material which is both heat insulating and electrically insulating, as for example, asbestos, for the protection of the wearer against undue heat, the possibility of fire and contact with electric circuits. The chamber 55 formed between the bellows 23 and piston disc 24 and the casing [3 also functions as an insulating air chamber which further protects the wearer against excessive heat. The drier of this invention may be readily fastened to and detached from the wearer at will by the wearer herself without danger of injury by burns and electrical shocks and the hair dried in a thoroughly efficient and uniform manner. For example, as indicated in Fig. 1, the whole mass of hair is gathered above the distributing manifolds 3 which are fastened about the scalp line and the drying air is forced uniformly to flow and circulate through this mass of hair all the way around the head and about the scalp. No excessive heat need be applied to the hair and the scalp since the whole drying operation is effected by the drying air which is uniformly distributed and caused to circulate through every part of the mass of hair to be dried. The drier is simple in construction and operation and may be inexpensively manufactured.

Fig. 5 shows the position of the bellows when the shaft 25 is nearing the end of its outward stroke under the influence of the spring 29. In this position the valves 32 and 33 are open to admit air to the bellows while the valves 35 and 37 are closed. When the lug 20 engages the arm at the end of the stroke to close the circuit at the contacts 23 and 28' the solenoid 26 will then collapse the bellows 23 by actuating the disc 24- toward the left and in this operation the valves 32 and 33 are closed while the valves 35 and 31 are opened to admit the drying air into the manifold 3 and to the chamber behind the screen 6. A spring 42 carried by 44 bears on rod 43 to frictionally hold the switch in its actuated position.

It is understood that a tension adjustment similar to 53 for the valve 31 and spring 38, may be applied to the valve 35 and spring 36. Also that a single bar or wire may be used for adjusting the tension of both springs 35 and 38.

I claim:

1. In a drier, a cap having a flexible resilient air distributing manifold adapted to be fastened about the scalp line with the mass :of hair to be dried contained within the cap, an insulating casing attached to said cap at the distributing manifold and communicating with the ends thereof, a bellows air supplying unit within said casing, electrical means disposed in said bellows for operating the same and an electrical heater disposed within said bellows for heating the air, said distributing manifold having perforations formed therein on the inner side of the manifold and said cap having an outlet opening on the top thereof for the air admitted through the manifold.

2. A drier of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein an intermittently opening and closing valve is disposed in a communicating passage between the bellows and said manifold together 'with means for adjusting the resistance to the opening of the valve.

3. In a hair drier, a flexible cap made of a material substantially non-porous to air with the edge thereof formed into an air distributing manifold adapted to be fastened about the scalp line of the head, said cap having a perforation for permitting the escape of the air after the same has been distributed by the manifold about the scalp line of the head and means for supplying drying air to said cap comprising a casing detachably fastened to said cap in an air-sealing manner, a bellows member within said casing, spring means for operating said bellows in one direction, electromagnetic solenoid means for operating said bellows in the opposite direction, a heater within said bellows for heating the air and valve means for admitting air to the bellows as it is being distended and valve means for introducing the drying air from said bellows into said manifold.

4. In a hair drier, a flexible cap made of a material substantially non-porous to air with the edge thereof formed into an air distributing manifold adapted to be fastened about the scalp line of the head, said cap having a perforation for permitting the escape of the air after the same has been distributed by the manifold about the scalp line of the head, said cap having an opening for the reception of drying air with a flange part surrounding said opening, a casing attached to said flange part, a bellows element within said casing which is fastened at one end to a disc closure for said casing, a solenoid fastened to said disc and disposed within the bellows, a reciprocating armature member cooperatively functioning with said solenoid and attached to a closing member for said bellows, spring means for operating said bellows in a direction opposite to that effected by said solenoid, valve means for admitting air to said bellows as it is being distended, valve means between said cap and said bellows for admitting drying air from the latter into said cap, an electrio heater element for heating the air within said bellows and means for intermittently energizing and de-energizing said solenoid.

5. In a hair drier, a flexible cap made of a material substantially non-porous to air with the edge thereof formed into an air distributing manifold adapted to be fastened about the scalp line of the head, said cap having a perforation for permitting the escape of the air after the same has been distributed by the manifold about the scalp line of the head, said cap having an,

opening for the reception of drying air with a flange part surrounding said opening, a casing attached to said flange part, a bellows element within said casing which is fastenedat one end to a disc closure for said casing, a solenoid fastened to said disc and disposed within the bellows, a reciprocating armature member cooperatively functioning with said solenoid and attached to a closing member for said bellows, spring means for operating said bellows in a direction opposite to that effected by said solenoid, valve means for admitting air to said bellows as it is being distended, valve means between said cap and said bellows for admitting drying air from the latter into said cap, an electric heater element for heating the air within said bellows and means for intermittently energizing and deenergizing said solenoid, said disc closure having -a valve for admitting air directly intosaid manifold and another valve for admitting air directly to the space within the cap and means for regulating the resistance to open-' ing of one of said last-named valves.

MYRTLE A. WOODRUM.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file 01' this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain 1891 

